20 Dollars Per Person Will Not Solve Climate Change

BONN – Today, Ambassador Pablo Solon of the Plurinational State of Bolivia highlighted Bolivia’s concern over current UN climate negotiations. The Ambassador talked of the voices of the real victims of climate change being excluded from the negotiations.

“In April 2010 more than 35,000 people from 140 countries gathered in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and developed the historic Cochabamba People’s Agreement, a consensus-based document reflecting substantive solutions to the climate crisis,” Ambassador Solon said.

“We are therefore deeply concerned that the new text proposed as a basis for climate change negotiations does not reflect any of the main conclusions reached in Cochabamba. We made this proposal in line with UN rules, by the April deadline, but still they have not been included.”

“Proposals from Cochabamba have been sidelined, but every single element of the so-called ‘Copenhagen Accord’ has been included, even though it was not recognized by the United Nations. This means that, on finance, we are only considering $100 billion a year to respond to climate change – just $20 per person in the developing world – to solve climate change. It’s clear that climate change impacts are not going to be dealt with for just $20 per person.”

“We urge the UN to embrace the conclusions reached by social movements, indigenous peoples and international civil society in Cochabamba. It is both undemocratic and untransparent to exclude particular proposals from the negotiations, and it is imperative that the United Nations listen to the global community on this issue critical to humanity.”

“In total, 18 different ideas were excluded, including 50% emission cuts for rich countries by 2017, a 300ppm greenhouse gas stabilization target, a proposal for a declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth and a new, realistic assessment of finance needed to fight climate change.”

“There cannot be an equitable, transparent, and inclusive negotiation process, nor will there be true solutions to the urgent climate crisis, if the UN negotiating text ignores the voices of the peoples of the world that the negotiators should be representing.”

A document detailing the issues missing in the text of the UNFCCC Chair can be provided upon request.